Rating: Summary: Third Time is the Charm Review: I have had FRC for a grand total of 4 days. I am halfway through my third time reading it. I just cannot put it down!! The story started off a bit slow the first time I read it but it quickly picked up pace and my intrest when the action and magic really started playing in and hints of romance became apparent. That was the one serious lacking of Green Rider in my opinion. There were flashes of it involving Karigan with both Alton and King Zachary but neither one followed through and it left me and a few others wondering who she would eventually end up with. Much to our delight, that delima is solved and the whole situation is bittersweet when the one Karigan loves is then betrothed to another (Lady Estora...evil girl...) The wild magic is very prominent in the story and the introduction of new characters combined with the expansion of the old ones keeps the novel fresh and every time you read it you find or pick up something new. I highly highly suggest this book to any, even if you did not like Green Rider or you think you may not normally like this type of book. However, it is well worth it!!
Rating: Summary: what a shame. :( Review: I *really* wanted to like this book. The opening was great and there are flashes of good stuff throughout. But, overall, it's pretty bad. Characters are introduced w/o any real build up. Characterizations are spotty at best and the heroine, Karigan, isn't very heroic. Mostly she seems to worry/complain a lot and wait for someone (one of the 'Eletian' for instance) to help her. There are a lot of other problems as well. For example, Karigan and the guide both feel uneasy about the spot chosen for a camp. The expedition leader refuses to give in to 'supersition', and of course everyone is attacked and slaughtered during the night. On top of a cliche that would be old in a teen-age slasher fic, Karigan gets up early for guard duty . . . and goes off w/o her sword! I got as far as page 83 and couldn't force myself to read further. I flipped through the book, hoping to find a better spot, w/o success. Why are elves, excuse me, 'Eletian', always immortal and *unhappy* about it? Why do they always brood about the past? Why not some *happy* immortals? Magical messengers on horseback? I suggest Mercedes Lackey. She did it better. The dread ancient evil awakening has been done to death. For a complete list of every overdone cliche in this and many other fantasy books: "The Tough Guide to Fantasy Land" by Diana Wynne Jones. Sadly out of print, I got mine from Amazon.com UK. Well worth the effort. The story that Ms. Britain *should* have written was that of the First and Second Empire, as hinted at in *excerpts' from "The Journal of Hadriax el Fex" Now *THAT* was an interesting sounding story. I wish Ms. Britain had written that story and forgotten about Karigan. I'm asking for my money back on this one. Hopefully Ms. Britain's next effort will have a better editor.
Rating: Summary: good plot, but a little disjointed at times Review: This book is a good one but sometimes drawn out and dis-jointed and confusing. Does not flow well sometimes. Look foward to this author again though and as she matured in her writing, should be some nice work. Would love to see the "sister's" again in a future book
Rating: Summary: SLOW AND DISAPOINTING Review: Those of you who love a tragedy will enjoy this sequel to the wonderful GREEN RIDER. For those like myself who don't garner much enjoyment from the torment of characters with whom we have come to know and love will find the ending of this book particularly disappointing and not very enjoyable. So sue me, I like a happy ending. This book does not have a happy ending. That aside there are a myriad of other problems with this volume that have nothing to do with my personal dislike with the author's choice of endings. For one the pace of the storyline is incredibly slow. For what is a relatively simple story it takes forever to get anywhere in it. Part of the problem is it keeps jumping around from viewpoint to viewpoint, almost lurching from one scene to another. It is disjointed and fragmented almost to distraction. While this is somewhat disconcerting it would be acceptable if these various disconnected scenes had relevance to the final outcome of the plot, many don't, leaving you confused and wondering what was the point in the whole exercise. Possibly the author's ploy to add suspense for the final ending? Foreshadowing for a future volume? Maybe, but I found it to be distracting and less than enjoyable. If it was intended as a teaser for any follow-up I'm afraid it didn't work. I found it to so poorly done that I have very little interest in any further adventures of this cast of characters. For those who like tragedy, woe and misery have at it. Otherwise I would NOT RECOMMEND this book.
Rating: Summary: Haunted by a Legend Review: First Rider's Call is the second novel in the Green Rider series, following Green Rider. In the previous volume, Karigan G'ladheon has forcibly separated Prince Amilton from Shawdell the Eletian, set loose the wild magic, convinced Jendara to change sides, and thus restored King Zachary to his throne. She also breaks the black arrows that killed F'ryan and frees his spirit to pass on. Although offered a position in the messenger service, she decides to return to her family and become a merchant. In this novel, Karigan is having dreams sent by Lil Ambriodhe, the legendary First Captain of the Green Riders. Other dangers loom and the Green Riders need Karigan back in the saddle. Karigan resists, for she enjoys working with her family and is not eager to return to the terrifying experiences of her past service. One morning, however, Karigan rides out to Sacor City in her nightgown. A year later, Karigan is scouting for a diplomatic party to the Eletians, those mysterious people to the north. The party encamps in a clearing occupied by a large rock surrounding by wardstones. Ty and Karigan argue against the location, but are overruled. Of course, the party is attacked by groundmites, lead by a walking dead man, and then the large rock emits a storm of energy. The survivors of the diplomatic party are saved by the Eletians, who single out Karigan for a briefing on the situation. It seems that the unfortunate encampment has released a wraith who was a favored servant of Morhnavon the Black. Other wards are also failing, particularly in the D'Yer Wall. A break therein is allowing various of Morhnavon's monsters to escape their confinement. Thus begins another story of suspence and sudden dangers. Karigan learns something important about her ancestors that has been forgotten for many centuries. Moreover, she finds her ability to penetrate illusion becoming stronger ... and more necessary. Highly recommended for Britain fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of ancient and corrupt magic being resisted by young warriors with talents of their own.
Rating: Summary: great second book...can't wait for the next one Review: This book starts out slow, but it is a great read. It has a much more complex storyline than the first book which the author handles well. All your favorite characters are back including King Zachary, Alton, and Mapstone, but they are more developed. This is a great read and i hope to see more soon from Britain.
Rating: Summary: Warning! Review: I gave the book three stars, because I didn't finish it, and it may have the most wonderful plot of any book ever written. However, I thought I should review it to warn any potential readers out there who, like me, are sensitive to things like word choice, grammar, and punctuation. There were some questionable choices early on, but I persevered until I got to a sentence where someone wondered "idylly" about something. Huh? I've heard of wondering idly, but . . . . I actually read the sentence several times to make sure I wasn't misreading it. Does nobody edit books anymore? Hire a proofreader! Anyway, if these things bother you, be warned. You may want to give this a miss.
Rating: Summary: Wonderful first novel Review: I picked this book up because it had a horse on the front. Once I started I could not put it down. Karigan is an unlikely hero, one that does not want to perform her duties. She just wants to be left alone to live her life. This theme continues throughout the book and is a refreshing change of pace. There is enough magic to keep things interesting but not so much that the magic changes the story. There are so many avenues to be pursued in a continuation of hopefully a long series of books.
Rating: Summary: A well written book Review: This book was extreamly well written. This is quiet rare in sequels. Problem with sequels is that authors tend to write too much descriptions. They tend to go on too much about what happen in the previous books. This tends to be boring when you already know what happen and have to read it all over again when you just want to go to the new stuff. Sure some things were mention that were in the first book but these were only small details;written in one sentence versus several paragraphs. She really didn't write much about what happen in the first book at all. You really must read the first book to know what happen in the frist book. The characters were well formed. This book was written much better than the first one.
Rating: Summary: Can't put it down. Review: In First Rider's Call I was intanced by the story. I mean I just could not put this book down. Once I started reading it I just could not stop. This book is even better then the first. I can't wait for more books by Kristen Britain. Keep up the great work Ms.Britain! This is a must read for all fantasy readers. Of course start off with Green Rider then come to FRC.
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